Swimming and life-saving belt.



No. 669,883. Patented Mar. [2, l90l.

H PBAGER BAUER I SWIMMING A ND LlFE SAVING BELT.

(Application'filed m, 18, 1900.

(No Model.)

UNrTnn STATES PATENT HERMANN PRAGER-BAUER, OF ZURICH, SWITZERLAND.

SWIMMING AND LIFE-SAVING BELT.

SPECIFICATION formingpart of Letters Patent No. 669,883, dated March 12, 1901;

Application filed January 18, 1900. $erial No. 1,910. (No model.)

To all whmn it may concern:

Be it known that I, HERMANN PRAGER- BAUER, a citizen of Switzerland, residing at Seehofstrasse 18, Zurich, Switzerland, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Swimming and Life-Saving Belts, with Foot-Weights; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

This invention relates to swimming and life-saving belts.

It is the object of this invention toprovide a superior life-saving belt having means to prevent its shrinkage and carrying footweights, so that the Wearers legs will remain at all times under water, assuming their natural position as far as possible.

To this end the invention consists in the improved life saving belt hereinafter described and claimed.

Referring to the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a face view of the belt opened out, showing its general arrangement. Fig. 2 is a detail showing the mode of attaching the cases. Fig. 3 is modification thereof. Fig. 4. is a detail of one of the cases, and Fig. 5 is a detail of the foot-weights.

The seamless tubes or cases (1, preferably made of aluminium, are closed at both ends by means of cork stoppers e and are provided at about their middle and near their ends with annular grooves f. These indented end grooves, serve to clamp the corks, and thus retain them in their proper position. Aseries of carrying-strips 1), three in the present instance, are attached in any suitable manner to the beltproper, a, made, preferably, of sailcloth, for the purpose of preventing the abnormal wear of the belt by friction of the metal cases. The latter are attached to the belt at regular intervals by a line or cord 0, which is passed through the belt and the strips b and looped to engage the grooves f of the cases, and then drawn taut, so as to hold the cases tightly against the strips.

In the modification Fig. 3 I have shown the metal cases 01 as provided with four grooves In this instance the connecting element will be the wire rings p, arranged in pairs in the middle grooves f. The lateral portions of rings 19 are formed as hooks q and eyes 1", whereby the cases are connected to one another. The eyes also carry the links 9 for attachment to the belt.

In the modification Fig. 4 I show the metal cases (1 with their ends closed and having a central cylinder 6', of cork, secured by the inwardprojecting ribs formed in making the middle grooves f.

The belt a is provided with an elastic member'lc, having the narrow bands 71. for attachment to the body of a person, and also with a neck or shoulder strap 0, provided with any well-known meansfor instance, a buckle for adjustment.

Passing now to the foot-weights, it will be seenby reference to Fig. 5 that same embodies a substantially narrow strap or band Z, provided with a series of lead weights on, as shown. These straps are provided with the usual fastening means for ready attachment to the ankles.

Having thus described my invention, I claim-- I. A swimming or life-saving belt comprising a belt proper,"longitudinal strips secured thereto, a plurality of metal cases provided with closed ends and intermediate annular grooves, and cords passed through the belt and strips and encircling the cases in said grooves, substantially as described.

2. A swimming or life-saving belt comprising a belt proper and a plurality of closedend metal cases having annular grooves and interior cylinders of cork secured therein by ribs made in forming said grooves, and means for securing the cases to the belt engaging in said grooves, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

HERMANN PRAGER-BAUEB.

. Witnesses:

HERM. SCHILLING, A. LIEBERKNEOHT. 

